Every Thanksgiving I get slews of emails asking for a vegan entree to serve at the family feast.

This year I have a new one to add to the fare, from the PC kitchens this Mushroom and Chickenless Wellington was created by Chef Craig Harding from Constantine’s restaurant in Toronto. I got to sample it at a lovely luncheon this past week and it was outstanding.

Mushroom and Chickenless Chicken Wellington
Serves: 8

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ready in: 2 hours

Layer PC® Plant-Based Chickenless Breasts with meaty portobello mushrooms, sautéed spinach and savoury-sweet caramelized onions in flaky puff pastry for this vegan take on a holiday classic. Be sure to thaw the Chickenless Breasts in the fridge overnight and not at room temperature.

 

Per serving (1/8 of wellington and 3 tbsp gravy): 510 calories, fat 33 g (7 g of which is saturated), sodium 970 mg, carbohydrate 41 g, fibre 3 g, sugars 7 g, protein 12 g

 

INGREDIENTS

Measure	Ingredient
¼ cup (60 mL)	olive oil
3	onions, very thinly sliced
1 tsp (5 mL)	salt
8	portobello mushroom caps
¼ tsp (1 mL)	black pepper
2	cloves garlic, minced
1 bag (300 g)	PC® Organics Frozen Chopped Spinach 6038318014
2 tbsp (30 mL)	maple syrup
2 tbsp (30 mL)	dairy-free milk alternative, such as almond, coconut or soy milk
1 sheet (425 g)	frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed in fridge overnight
Half pkg (400 g pkg)	frozen PC® Plant-Based Chickenless Breasts (2 breasts), thawed in fridge overnight and sliced lengthwise into thirds 60383215095
	Vegan Charred Gravy (recipe below)

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and ½ tsp salt; cook, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 tsp at a time if necessary to prevent sticking, until golden and caramelized, about 45 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Set aside.

 

2. Meanwhile, toss mushrooms with 2 tbsp oil and pinch each salt and black pepper on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Arrange in single layer on sheet. Bake until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside.

 

3. Wipe out skillet used to cook onions; heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add frozen spinach and remaining salt and black pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to colander; let cool slightly and squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.

 

4. Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Whisk maple syrup with milk alternative in small bowl. Set aside.

 

5. Unroll puff pastry, leaving on paper; arrange with long edge parallel to work surface. Brush 1-inch (2.5 cm) border of pastry with some of the maple syrup mixture. Arrange mushrooms in single layer lengthwise down top third of pastry, overlapping slightly and leaving 2-inch (5 cm) border uncovered on all sides. Top mushrooms with chickenless breasts, spinach mixture and onions. Fold both long edges of pastry together to meet, overlapping slightly and pressing to adhere.

 

6. Arrange, seam side down, on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Pinch short ends of pastry together to seal. Brush pastry all over with remaining maple mixture. Score diagonal lines into top of pastry using sharp knife, being careful not to cut all the way through pastry.

 

7. Bake until pastry is golden and instant-read thermometer inserted in centre reads 165°F (74°C), 35 to 40 minutes. Slice and serve with Vegan Charred Gravy.

 

Chef’s Tip: Puff pastry is made using either butter or shortening, so check the ingredients list to ensure the one you buy is shortening-based.

 Vegan Charred Gravy 

 Makes about 1½ cups 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour

 

Charring the vegetables adds rich, smoky flavour to this vegan gravy. Don’t worry about peeling the onions or carrot – the skins add extra colour. Just give the vegetables a quick scrub before you add them to the pot.

INGREDIENTS

 

Measure	Ingredient
1 tbsp (15 mL)	vegetable oil
2	onions (skin-on), halved crosswise
1	carrot (skin-on), halved lengthwise
1 tsp (5 mL)	tomato paste
1/3 cup (83 mL)	red wine
1 pkg (1 L)	PC® Plant-Based Chickenless Broth 060383216641
2	bay leaves
2	fresh thyme sprigs
4 tsp (20 mL)	cornstarch
¼ tsp (1 mL)	each salt and black pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrot, cut sides down; cook, turning once, until golden and lightly charred, about 10 minutes

 

2. Stir in tomato paste. Add wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom; cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add broth, bay leaves and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook uncovered until liquid is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. 

 

3. Strain through fine-mesh sieve.Wipe out saucepan; return sauce to saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

 

4. Whisk cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water in small bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk into sauce; return to a simmer. Cook, whisking often, until smooth and thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes.Season with salt and black pepper.

 

 Quinoa and Tofu Pilaf with Leek, Mushrooms, Cranberries and Pecans

This gluten free vegan entree is perfect to serve at Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other fall or winter get together.

Makes 8 cups (2 L)

One serving = 2 cups (500 mL)

1 cup (250 mL) red quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 cups (500 mL) vegetable broth

2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil

1 leek, cleaned, trimmed, white part only, sliced into thin coins

1 onion, chopped

4 oz (125 g) cremini or white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tsp (10 mL) dried thyme leaves

1 tsp (5 mL) ground sage

One -350 g package extra firm tofu, cut into ½ inch (1.5 cm) cubes

½ cup (125 mL) pecan halves, toasting is optional

½ cup (125 mL) dried cranberries

¼ tsp (1 mL) fresh cracked black pepper

¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Place the quinoa in a medium/large pot; add water and bring to boil; cover over medium/low heat for 10-15 minutes. The quinoa is done when the grains are translucent and all the water has been absorbed. Fluff with fork, remove from heat and let stand 5 – 10 minutes. Remove lid and let quinoa cool while the vegetables are cooking.
2. Meanwhile, heat a separate medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, leeks, onion, mushrooms, garlic, tofu, thyme and sage. Stir well. Cook covered 5 – 10 minutes stirring occasionally until vegetables are wilted.
3. Stir hot vegetable mixture into cooled quinoa together with pecans, dried cranberries, and pepper.
4. Sprinkle quinoa mixture with fresh parsley and gently fold in.
5. Serve immediately. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. To re-heat, sprinkle with ½ cup (125 mL) warm water and heat in 350°F (180°C) oven about 25 – 30 minutes or until warm or microwave until warm.

Recipe from: The Vegetarians Complete Quinoa Cookbook (Whitecap 2012)

Recipe created by: Jan Main PHEc